Means for making mineral wool.



W. FAY.

MEANS FOR MAKING MINERAL WOOL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3. 1917.

1 ,%5@,51 D Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

WILLIAM FAY, OF ST. LO'UI8, MISSdURI.

MEANS FOR MAKING MINERAL WOOL.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 19, fi tfi.

Application flied March 8, 1917. Serial No. 152,329.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that 1, WILLIAM FAY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, a resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Means for Making MineralWool, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for making mineral wool.The structure I have shown includes means for introducing a blast offluid into a stream of molten scoriaceous material, thereby projectingthe molten material and dividing it into fine filaments which form themineral wool. By the term scoriaceous material I mean to include slag,rock and any other material adapted to be melted and then projected toform mineral wool.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a highly efficientmeans for subjecting the fibers to the action of oil orother suitabledust-settling fluid,'so that the mineral wool may be handled, packed andshipped without further treatment. More specifically stated, an objectis to obtain this and other advantages without chillingand hardening thefibers.

The blast carrying the dust-settling fluid (preferably oil) is injectedvery forcibly into the stream of molten material, and since this blastconstitutes the means for dividing the material into a mass of finefilaments or fibers, it will be apparent that all of the filaments orfibers are thoroughly acted upon by the oil. The product is free ofloose dust or fine powder and in such a condition that it may be packedand shipped to the consumer. The oil is introduced in such a manner thatit does not smoke or discolor the product. However, this oil is veryforcibly injected into the stream of material, and it serves to lay thefine dust or powder which would otherwise fly freely from the product.

'To avoid undue cooling, which would chill ing projected at a highvelocity into the receivchamber. Instead of being consumed by the moltenmaterial, the constantly flowing stream of oily vapor is introduced intothe receiving chamber, where it commingles with the flying fibers ofmineral wool, also penetratin the body of wool in the lower portion 0the chamber.

Figure I is diagrammatical plan view, on a very small scale, showing anapparatus ppnstructed in accordance with my inven- Fig. 11 is anenlarged side elevation, partly in section.

A designates a cupola in which the scoriaceous material is melted. Bdesignates a stream of molten material flowing from the lower portion ofthe cupola. A blast-pipe C terminates at a nozzle D near the lowerportion of the cupola. A receptacle E adapted to contain a heavyhydrocarbon oil, or other suitable dust-settling fluid, is connected tothe 'blast pipe C by means of a tube F.

The blast pipe is connected to a suitable steam generator, and the oilis caused to oil. The hot mixture of steam and oil, discharged at a veryhigh velocity from the nozzle D, divides the stream of molten material Binto a mass of long incandescent filaments. A tube G, passing through awall of the receiving chamber H, is arranged to conduct the stream ofhot vapor and mineral wool filaments, or fibers, into said receivingchamber.

To avold combustion, or the production The blast pipe constitutes a longanof smoke or carbon, the dust-settling fluid is preferably ahigh-boiling'oil which will not flash or burn when momentarily subjectedto the heat of the moltenv material. I have found in actual practicethat an oil of this kind protected by a relatively large volume ofsteam, will produce highly desirable results.

It will be observed that the steam is an inexpensive heating agent forthe oil, and that the oil is very thoroughly commingled with the steambefore it reaches the discharge nozzle. The oil is'thus heated andforcibly distributed throughout the mass of 7 material so that all ofsaid material is very thoroughly acted upon by the hot blast ofoil-laden steam.

Heretofore, wool receiving chambers have been provided with large ventsor outlets and the streams of wool have been projected toward such ventsor outlets. As a result, the flying fibers circulate freely toward thelarge vent and accumulate to form a relatively large body of wool nearthe vent. Since the path of least resistance is in a straight line fromthe blow tube to the large vent, the wool rushes rapidly in this generaldirection. At the beginning ofthe operation, when the wool receivingchamber 18 empty, the wool collects on the floor near the large vent,and as the operation continues the projected fibers flowing in the path.0

least resistance, all tend to rush rapidly toward the lar e vent untilthey are stopped by striking t e main mass of wool or some other object.Obviously, there is an opportunity for an appreciable amount of the fineparticles to escape freely through the large vent. However, the mostimportant point 1s that almofi all of the projected fibers rush quicklyto a given point where they are stopped, instead of being permitted tocirculate or float freely inthe wool chamber.

counter currents which do not cause a free circulation to any definitepoint.

Owing to the size and location of the restricted vents, asubstantialpressure is created in the wool chamber by the blast of steam laden oil;and this oily vapor under pressure commingles with the fine wool fiberswhich float freely in the wool chamber. The

. free fibers are thoroughly. acted upon by the vapor before they settleon the body of Wool,

. and the entire body of wool is constantly acted upon by the oilyvapor. A most effective treatment is, therefore, obtained bymai.ntaining the vapor in the wool chamber under pressure, instead ofpermitting it to escape freely.

If the incandescent filaments are chilled suddenly, they will harden andform glassy shot or fine glass-like strings. To obtam the best results,the fibers should be permitted to cool slowly. It is, therefore, anadvantage to cause the fibers to float freely in the warm vapor, for aconsiderable period of time, before they strike a relatively coolobject.

It will now be understood that the warm as cycloning.

oily vapor confined under ressure in the wool chamber, settles the ust,causes the fine particles to cling to the larger fibers, and preventsthe hot fibers from oooling'too rapidly. In addition to enabling theproduct to be packed and shipped in bags, this treatment increases theyield by retaining the fine particles in the main mass of Wool, also byavoiding theproduction of a large percentage of shot.

Mineral Wool is sometimes broken up or reduced to fragments by atreatment known When so treated the fine dust-like particles flying fromthe mass are permitted to escape, and if recovered they have very littleif any value. If the wool is treated as herein shown and described, arelatively small percentage of dust will fly from the fibers during thecycloning operation, and the loss will be materially decreased.

The method of process herein disclosed is claimed in an application forpatent filed by me Feb. 23,1917, Serial Number 150,451.

I claim 1. In an apparatus for making mineral wool, a cupola having anoutlet for the discharge of a stream of molten scoriaceous material, acombined blast pipe and mixing chamber arranged to discharge itscontents into the stream of molten material, means for conducting steaminto said combined Wool, a cupola having an outlet for the dis charge ofa stream of molten scoriaceous material, a steam blast arranged toproject said material to form mineral wool fibers, a wool chamberarranged to receive the projected steam and fibers, and means forconfining the contents of said wool chamber so as to maintain a pressurecreated therein by the steam blast. I

3. In an apparatus for making mineral wool, a cupola having an outletfor the discharge of a stream of molten scoriaceous material, a combinedblast pipe and mixing chamber arranged to discharge its contents intothe stream of moltemmaterial, means for conducting steam into saidcombined blast pipe and mixing chamber, means for conducting a dustsettling substance into said combined blast pipe and mixing chamber, awool chamber arranged to receive the projected wool fibers and the blastof steam and dust settling substance, and means for preventin the fluidcontents of said wool chamber rom escaping freely, thereby confining thewool fibers, steam and dust settling substance under a pressure createdby the blast.

4. In an apparatus for making mineral Wool, a cupola having an outletfor the discharge of a stream of molten scoriaceous material, a steamblast arranged to project said material to form mineral wool fibers, awool chamber arranged to receive the projected steam and fibers, saidwool chamber having 10 oppositely disposed restricted vents at its upperportion, and being otherwise closed to confine the steam and mineralWool fibers under pressure created by said blast. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 15 hereunto aflix mysignature.

WILLIAM FAY.

